Multiple position reclining chair



June 14, 1960 F. F. SCHLIEPHACKE 2,940,510

MULTIPLE posmon RECLINING CHAIR Filed Oct. 28, 1958 INVENTOR.

FR/DTJOF F. SCHI- IEPHACKE FIG. 3.

A TTORNE'YS United States Patent MULTIPLE POSITION RECLINING CHAIR Fri'tltiof F. Schliephacke, BerIin-Schmargendorf, Germany, assignmto Anton Lorenz, Boynton Beach, Fla,

Filed a. 28, 1958, Ser. No. 770,079

Claims. (Cl. 155-106) i The present invention relatesto improvements in reclining chairs of the type which includes a movable bodysupportiag unit comprising a'seat and back-rest and a movable leg-rest mounted at the forward end of the chair for coordinated movement with the body-supporting unit. In particular, this invention relates to a reclining chair in which the seat and back-rest are formed as a rigid unit which is mounted on a support frame for movement between a normal sitting position, an intermediate partiallytilted position, and a fully-tilted position.

The well-known reclining chair presently on the market comprises generally a seat and back-rest structure in which the seat and back-rest may be rigid with. each other and pivoted as a unit on the support frame, or in which the seat and back-rest may be independently pivoted on the support frame for movement relative to each other. A leg-rest is normally connected through a linkage to the seat and back-rest structure and/or to the support frame in such a manner as to be provided with coordinated movement in response to movement of the seat and back-rest structure. The usual reclining chair has been designed to permit the body-supporting unit to move from a normal upright sitting position in. which the legrest is in a retracted position beneath the seat, to a reclinedposition in which both seat and back-rest are rearwardly tilted and the leg-rest is in an extended position.

A recent development in reclining chairs has been the two-position chair in which a body-supporting unit comprising a rigid seat and back-rest is mounted on the support for movement through 'a'firsrrnotion phase from the sitting position to intermediate, partially tilted position and then through a second motion phase to a fullytilted position in which the body-supporting unit is inciined at a maximum angle relative to the support frame. The chair is generally provided with a leg-rest and a control mechanism for the leg-rest, the control mecha- It is an object of the present invention to provide a two position reclining chair having an improved guiding means for bringing the body-supporting unit to its intermediate and fully-tilted positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a reclining chair of the type described in which the guiding means is adapted to move the body-supporting unit in a substan tially horizontal rearward direction during the first motion phase, and then in a simple pivoting rearward motion during the second motion phase.

till another object of the invention is the provision of a reclining chair of the character described having an improved leg-rest control structure which is coordinated in movement with the body-supporting pnit ,for bringing the leg-rest to its extended position during the first motion phase and retaining it in an extended'position during the second motion phase.

ice I 2,940,516 Patented June 14, i;

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a recliningchair having a rigid body-supportingunit, with apair of guide links mounting the same on the support frame. The rear guide link is mounted by a fixed pivot on the support frame. The front guide link is mounted on the support frame by a movable pivot in the nature of a pin and slot connection. During the first motion phase, the body supporting unit is moved rearwardly by the rearward pivoting of both guide links. At the intermediate tilted position, the rear guide link engages a stop member so that it cannot pivot further rearwardly, and the bodysupporting unit pivots further rearwardly in the second motion phase about its pivotal connection on the rear guide link. During this second motion phase, the pin and slot connection of the front guide link with the support permits the front guide link to rise with the forward end of the seat.

The leg-rest is mounted on the front of the seat and is connected by a single control link to the support in such a manner that when the unit is brought to its intermediate tilted position and the front end of the seat is raised, the control link pivots upwardly to raise the leg-rest from a retracted position to an extended position, and, by suitable location of the various pivot points, is prevented from pivoting downward, thereby maintaining the leg-rest in said extended position. When the unit is brought to its fully-reclined position, the control link pivots upwardly tornaintain the leg-rest in its extended position.

.Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

'Fig. l is ;a side elevational view of a reclining chair made in accordance with the present invention and shown in its upright sitting position, with parts broken away and shown in section to reveal inner constructional detail;

Fig. 2 is a similar side elevational view of the chair illustratcd in ,Fig. 1, but showing the body-supporting unit in an intermediate tilted position and the leg-rest in ex:

ended P sit on; and

Fig. 3 is a similar side elevational view of the chair illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, but showing the body-supporting unit in a fully-tilted position and the leg-rest in a corresponding extended position.

Referring indetail to the drawings, there is shown a reclining chair which includes a support frame or base structure 10 having depending legs 12 for maintaining it above the floor level. A body-supporting unit, designated generally by t lt mf reuce numeral 14, is movably mounted on the support frame 10. The body-supporting unit "14 comprises a seat 16 and a back-rest 18 which are formed integrally with each other to provide a rigid unit. 7 The body-supporting unit 14 is mounted on the support 10 for rearward movement by a pair of guide links 26 and 22 which are connected at their upper ends to spaced points on the lower portion of the seat 16 by respective pivots 24 and 26. The pivots 24 and 26 may be connected directly to the seat 16 but are preferably connected s depe d g s 2 a d 3 w h f m a id po n of the 5 1 6 At its bottom end the rear guide link 22 is pivotally mounted on the support frame 10 by a pivot 32. At its lower end, the front guide link 26 is 'pivota-lly connected to the support frame 10 by a pivot 'pin'34. The mounting of the front guide link 20 on the support frame it is, however, a slide connection provided by an elongated slot 36 at the lower end of the front guide link 2il, the slot nection 34,36 provides a means whereby the front guide link 2%) is normally pivotable on the support frame 10,

7 of the seat l6. 7 r 7 When the occupant of the chair in the'uprightzsitting position wishes to move to the intermediate tilted position,

. frame 10 andmay constitutea cross brace thereofi. fstopfmember 38 is positionedto be engaged 'by the rear guide link 22 in the upright sitting position of the'chai'r shown in Fig. 1, whereby the stop member 38" prevents forward pivoting movement of the rear guide link 22 about its pivotal mount 32, and therefore supports the A'second stop member 40, which "is also rigid with the support frame 10, is located to the rear of'the rear guide stop the rearward pivoting thereof in the intermediate tilted position shown in Fig. 2. I A third stop member 42,

also rigid with the support frame 10, is located at thejrear of the chairand in a position to engage the lower portion of the body-supporting unit 14 in the fully tilted position of Fig, 3, in a manner which will be presently described. The position of the chairshown in Fig. 1 represents the upright sitting position thereof in whichlthe occupant is disposed in a normal sitting position as in conventional chairs. In this upright position, the guide links 20 and '22 are inclined forwardly and upwardly, the rear guide linkl22 resting upon the first stop member 38 and being restrained thereby from forward pivoting movement, whereby the body-supporting unit 14 is supported in its upright position. The pivot pin 34 is" located 'at the top end of the. slot 36, and the portion of the front guide link 20 bordering the top'of slot 36 rests upon said pivot pin 34, the latter supporting the weight of the front end he shifts his weight rearwardly and applies rearward pressure to the back-rest 18, causing the guide links 20 and.22 to pivot rearwardly about their respective pivotal mounts '34 and'32. This rearward pivoting movement of the guide links 20, and 22 carries the body-supporting unit 14 in a rearward and substantially horizontal direction to the intermediate titled position of Fig. '2; which position is defined by -the engagement of the rear guide link 22 with the second stop member 40'; Since the rear guide link 22 can no longer pivot rearwardly about its longer move'injthe first motion phase as directed by the two'guide links 20 'and 22. V

s movement may be raised rela- I tive to the "support frame, in 'a'manner which will 'be" plished by the pivot26'connecting the rear guide link'j22 .10 body-supporting unit 14 in the upright sitting position.

. unit 14, through the second'.motion phase is. a simple link 22 in a position to engage the rear guide link 22 and 'pivotalmount 32, the body-'supporting unit .14'9311 no V n will be noted in Fig. 1 that the front guide link 20' is inclined'forwardly to a greater degree'than-the rear guide link 22. Consequently, as the body-supporting unit 14 approaches the interinediatetilt'ed position; the upper end of the rear guide link 22 has moved downwardlyto V V a :greater eirtent than the upper end of the front guide link 20 and the rear portion ofthe seat is lowered slightly f 1 relative to the front pontionthereof, so that the seat is slightly tilted rearwardly. in the intermediate tilted position. I As will be presently explained, the. leg-rest is moved to its extended position. during the first motion phase, so that in the intermediate tilted position the oc cupants legs are supported by the leg-rest and his body is still in a substantially upright positionwhich is suitable for reading, viewing television or the like. a

Theintermediate tilted position of Fig. 2 is determined .by engagement of the stop member 40 with the rear guide link 22, thereby preventing further rearward pivotmg movement of said rear guide link about its pivot '32.

In: this limit position, the pivot pin. 34 is still located at the top of the slot 36 and the front guide link 20 is still resting upon said pivot pin 34. V l

Since further earward movement in ii substantially:

V horizontal'direction is prevented by engagement of the a stop member 40 with the rear guidelink 22, .a different path of movement'must be providedito enable the body-i supporting l4 to be moved from the intermediate 7 through an arc of smaller radius in a diiferent path, this to the body-supporting unit 14, and also'by thepin and slot connection 34 and 36 between the front guide link 20 and the support frame 10. Thus, when'the occupant of the seat wishes to move from th'e intermediate tiltedi position to a fully-tilted position; he may shift his weight further rearwardly and apply further pressure against the.

back-rest 18, thereby causing the body-supporting unit to pivot about its pivotal connection 26 with the. rear guide link 22 in the manner shown'inFig. 3. It will therefore be appreciated that the movement of the body-supporting pivoting movement of its centerportion about the pivot 26 which is now fixedrelative to thesupport frame, so that the rear portion of the body-supportingunit .14 is lowered and the front portion is raised; This pivoting movement is permitted by the pin and slot connection 34, 36 of the front guidelink 20, the slot 36 enabling the front guide link 20 to'rise relative to the support 10 so that'in the fully-tilted position of Fig. 3 the pin 34 is 10- cated at the bottom of the .slot"36.' 'The limit of move mentof the body-supporting unit during the second motion phase is determined by engagement-of the pin 34 with the bottom end of the slot 36, and also-by'engagement of the lower surface of the seat16 with the third stop member 42. 7 7

The chairstructure also includes a leg-rest 50 mounted on the seat 16 for movement between a retracted position shown in Fig; l to, the extended positions shown in Figs.

2 and '3. The leg rest 50. is'canied by an angular mountin'g arm 52, the free end of which ispivotally mounted on the front endof the seat .16 by a pivot 54. The movebelow the front end of theseat 16. The leg-rest is held from downward pivoting movement by the'contr'olllink 56, since the leg-rest must pivot downwardly and forwardly in a counterclockwise path about its seat pivot 54,.while the control link 56 must pivotdownwardlyand rearward ly in a clockwise directionabout'its pivotal mount 58.

When the body-supporting unit 14 is moved rearwardly' to its intermediate tilted position of Fig; 2, the leg-rest pivot 54 is moved rearwardly toward the fixed pivot 58 of the control link 56. The control link 56 'thus pushes forwardly ontheleg-rest 50 at the pivot point 60, causing the leg-rest to pivot upwardly about its pivot 54. When the body-supporting unit reachesiits intermediate tilted position, the leg-rest .50 has pivoted to an extended'position forwardly of and substantially at the level of the front endof the seat 16 and is held in this-position by the control link 56. This holding function of the control link 56 is determined by the difference in the two arcs of travel which the control link and the leg-rest: would have to travel at the point 60, in order to pivot downwardly. from the extended position of Fig. 2. It will be appreciated that in order for the control link 56 to pivot downwardly, the end of the control link at point 60 must travel through an arc whose radius is the distance between pivot 58 and pivot 60. In order foif the leg-rest 50 to pivot downward-.

ly, the portion of the leg-rest at pivot 60 must travel radius being the distance between the pivot 54 and the pivot 60; Consequently, the'leg-rest cannot. be lowered from its extended position of Fig. 2 unless the v bodysupporting unit 14is moved forwardly, changing the lo-] cation of pivot 54 relative to the fixed pivot 58.

Should the occupant of the chair wishto return from the intermediate tilted position of Fig. 2 to theupright gamers sitting position of Fig. l, a forward shift of the occupants weight together with pressure of the occupants legs upon the leg-rest 50 will urge the body-supporting unit 14 forwardly upon the front and rear control links 29 and 22. At the same time, this forward movement of the seat 16 will cause the control link 56 to lower the leg-rest St to its retracted position.

If, however, the person sitting in the intermediate tilted position of Fig. 2 wishes to move to the fully-tilted position of Fig. 3, a slight additional rearward pressure against the back-rest 14 will initiate the second motion phase. The body-supporting unit now tilts rearwardly in a simple pivoting movement about the immovable pivot 26 of the rear guide link 22. This movement continues until the rear end of the unit engages the stop member 42 so that the unit is now in the fully-tilted position of Fig. 3 in which the users body is disposed in an inclined position for a greater relaxation.

As the body-supporting unit moves to the fully-tilted position, the front of the seat 16 is raised and the location of the pivot 54 is changed relative to the fixed piot 58. The control link 56 therefore pivots further upwardly, in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, raising the leg-rest 59 relative to the support and maintaining the leg-rest in its extended position at the level of the front of the seat 16, as shown in Pig. 3.

Again, the difierence in the pivotal path of the control link 56 and the leg-rest 50 at point 69 maintains the legrest in the extended position of Fig. 3, while the bodysupporting unit remains in the fully-tilted position. When the person sitting in the fully-tilted position wishes to return to the intermediate tilted position, a forward shift of body weight will cause the unit to pivot forwardly about the rear guide link pivot 26, and the front portion of the seat 16 will be lowered, thereby lowering the front guide link 20 until the pivot pin 34 is again located at the top of the slot 36.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein, it is obvious that numerous omission, changes and additions may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a reclining chair having a support frame and a body-supporting unit including a seat and a back-rest rigid with each other, a pair of guide links having respective pivotal connections to the front and rear portions of the seat and each pivotally mounted on the support frame for supporting the unit, the front and rear guide links being turnable about their pivotal mounts on the support frame for guiding the body-supporting unit rearwardly from an upright sitting position to an intermediate tilted position in response to rearward pressure against the movable body-supporting unit exerted by an occupant seated in the chair, stop means on the support frame positioned to engage the rear guide link when the unit has reached its intermediate tilted position to block further rearward movement of said unit along both guide links, said stop means immovably holding the rear guide link relative to the support frame whereby further movement of the seat is a pivotal movement about said immovable rear guide link in which the front portion of the unit is raised and the rear portion is lowered, and slide means on the front guide link providing a lost motion upward movement of the front portion of the seat relative to the support frame during said further pivotal movement, of the seat about the rear guide link.

2. In a reclining chair having a support frame and a body-supporting unit including a seat and a back-rest rigid with each other, a pair of guide links pivotally connected to respective front and rear portions of the seat and each pivotally mounted at spaced points on the support frame for supporting the unit, the front and rear guide links being turnable about their pivotal mounts on the support frame for guiding the body-supporting unit iii rearwardly from an upright sitting position to an intermediate tilted position in response to rearward pressure against the body-supporting unit exerted by an occupant seated in the chair, said guide links being forwardly inclined in said upright sitting position and pivoting to a rearwardly inclined position in said intermedate tilted position of the unit, stop means on the support frame positioned to engage the rear guide link when the unit has reached its intermediate tilted position to block further rearward movement of said unit along both guide links, said stop member immovably holding the rear guide link relative to the support frame whereby further movement of the seat is a pivotal movement about the pivotal connection of said immovable rear guide link with the seat to a fully-tilted position in which the front portion of the unit is raised and the rear portion is lowered, the pivotal mount of the front guide link on the support frame comprising a pin and slot connection between the front guide link and the support frame providing a lost motion movement of the front guide link relative to the support frame as the front guide link is lifted with the forward portion of the seat when the seat is turned about is pivotal connection with the immovable rear guide link.

3. In a reclining chair having a support frame and a body-supporting unit including a seat and a back-rest rigid with each other, a pair of guide links having respective pivotal connections to the front and rear portions of the seat and each pivotally mounted on the support frame for supporting the unit, the front and rear guide links being turnable about their pivotal mounts on the support frame for guiding the body-supporting unit rearwardly from an upright sitting position to an intermediate tilted position in response to rearward pressure against the body-supporting unit exerted by an occupant seated in the chair, stop means on the support frame positioned to engage the rear guide link when the unit has reached its intermediate tilted position to block further rearward movement of said unit along both guide links, said stop member immovably holding the rear guide link relative to the support frame whereby further movement of the seat is a pivotal movement about said immovable rear guide link in which the front portion of the unit is raised and the rear portion is lowered, and slide mews on the front guide link for permitting the front portion of the seat to be raised relative to the support frame during said further movement, a leg-rest, and leg-rest control means for moving said leg-rest from a retracted position beneath the seat to an extended, leg-supporting position fowardly of the seat during the first motion phase, and maintining the leg-rest in an extended leg-supporting position during the second motion phase, said leg-rest control means comprising pivot means mounting the leg-rest on the forward end of the seat and a control'link pivotally mounted on the support and pivotally connected to the leg-rest at a point spaced from the pivotal mount of the leg-rest on the seat.

4. In a reclining chair having a support frame and a body-supporting unit 'mcluding a seat and a back-rest rigid with each other, a pair of guide links pivotally connected to respective front and rear portions of the seat and each pivotally mounted at spaced points on the support frame for supporting the unit, the front and rear guide links being turnable about their pivotal mounts on the support frame for guiding the body-supporting unit rearwardly from an upright sitting position to an intermediate tilted position in response to rearward pressure against the body-supporting unit exerted by an occupant seated in the chair, said guide links being forwardly inclined in said upright sitting position and pivoting to a rearwardly inclined position in said intermediate tilted position of the unit, stop means on the support frame positioned to engage the rear guide link when the unit has reached its intermediate tilted position to block .fur-. ther rearward movement of said unit along both guide f tilted positions of the unit.

links, said stop member "immovably holding the rear guide link relative to the support frame whereby further movement of. the seat is a pivotal movement; about the pivotal connection of said immovable rear guide link with the seat to a fu llytilted ipositionin which the front portion of the unit is raised and the rear portion is 'said pivotal movement of the seat, a leg-rest, and leg-rest control means for moving said leg-rest from a retracted position beneath'the seatto an extended, leg-supporting position; forwardly of the seat during the first motion j phase and for maintaining the leg-rest in an extended leg-supporting position during the second motion phase,

' said leg-rest control means comprising, pivot means mounting the leg-rest on the forward end of the seat and a control linkpivotall'y mounted on the support and'pivotally connectedto the leg-rest at a point spaced from the pivotal'mcunt 'of'the leg-rest on the seat. a

' 5. A reelining chair according to claim 4 in which the distance between the pivotal mount of the control link on the supportand the pivotal connection of the control link to the leg-rest is longer than the distance between the pivotal mount of the leg-rest on the'seat and the [connection of the control link to the leg-rest, whereby the leg-rest is retained in an extended leg-supporting position. during both the intermediate tilted and fully- A reclining chair comprising a support frame, a rrgtdseat and back-rest unit, and means movably mount mgsard unit on 'said'support frame, said mounting means including front and rear guide links pivotally connected tospaced points on the seat, a 'fixe'd pivotmounting the rear guide link on the support frame, a pin and slot connection pivotally mounting the front gmide link on the support frame,'the body-supporting unit being movable in a first motion phase in which 'it is guided rearwardly relative'to the support frame by both front and rear,

- guide'links in response to rearward pressure against the body-supporting unit exerted. byan occupant seated in the chair, to an intermediate tilted position, stop means on the support frame engageable with the rear guide link at-the end of said first motion phase to retard further rear- 7 ward movement ofthe body-supporting' unit relative to the fixed pivotof the rear guide 'link,'the body supporting u'nit'being then movable in a second motion phase constitutingapivotal movement of said seat aboutthe pivotal connection between the seat and said'rear guide link, the 1 pintand slot'connection providing a lost motion movement during the second motion phase for permitting the portion'of the seat during said second motion phase.

7. In a reclining chair having a support frame and a body-supporting unit including a seat and-a back-rest rigid with each other, front and rear guide means mountportion of the seat and to the supportframe, stop means positioned to engage at least one of said'front andrea'r' guide means at 'said' intermediate tilted position to halti front guide link to be raisedrelative to the support'frame, 'whereby said front guide linkvis lifted with the forward 7 second motion phase.

8.'In'a reclining chair having a support frame and a body-supporting unit including a seat and a back-rest rigid with each other, front and rear guide means mount-.

ing' said body-supporting unit onsaid support frame and movable in a first motion phase from an upright sitting position to a rearwardly-tilted position in response to rearward pressure against the body-supporting unit exerted by an occupant seated in the chair, said rear guide meanscomprising a link pivotably mounted on the support frame and a pivotal connection between said bodysupporting unit and said link, said pivotal connection moving rearwardly with said link during said first motion phase, stop means positioned to engage at least one of said front and rear guide means at said intermediate tilted position to halt further movement of both said front and rear guide means, said front'guide means including slide means extensible to permit upward movement of the forwardend of the seat relative to the support frame during a second motion phase of the body-supporting unit from said intermediate tilted position to a fullytilted position, the body-supportingiunit turning about the'pivotal connection between the body-supporting unit and said link during said second motion phase.

guide links to the front and rear portions of the seat,

a second pair of pivots respectively mounting the front and rear guide links on the support for supporting the body-supporting unit and providing two centers of rotation on the support for rearward movement of the bodysupportin'g unit about both centers ofrotation through a first motion phase to an intermediate tilted position in response to rearward pressure exerted by the occupant seated in the chair against'the body-supporting unit, stop means on the support frame engagable with at least one of said guide links for blocking further rearward movement of said unit about said two centers of rotation at the intermediate tilted position, andslide means between the front guide link and the support frame at thepivotal mount of said front guide link, said slide means providing'a lost motion movement of'the front guide link relative to the support at the end of the 'first motion phase to permit the body-supporting unit to turn about the pivotal connection of the blocked rear guide linkwith the body guide links to the front and rearportions'of the seat,

',through a first motion phase to an intermediate tilted 7 comprising a link pivotally connected to the forward 7 I further rnovement: of both said' front and rear guide 7 means and slide means on said link extensible to'permit upward r'novement 'oftheforward end 'of the seat away a second pair of'pivots respectively mounting the front and rear guide links on the support for supporting the body-supporting unit and providing two centers of rotation on the support for rearward "movement of the body-supporting unit about "both centers of rotation position in response to rearward pressure exerted by the occupant seated in the chair against the body-supporting unit, stop means on the support frame engageable with at least one of said guide links for blocking further rearward movement of said unit about said two centers of rotation at the intermediate tilted position, and slide means between the front guide link and the support'frame,

at the pivotal mountof said front guide link, said slide 9 means providing a lost motion movement of the front guide link relative to the support at the end of the first motion phase to permit the body-supporting unit to turn about the pivotal connection of the blocked rear guide link with the body-supporting unit during a second motion phase in which the unit moves rearwardly from the intermediate tilted position to a fully-tilted position, a leg-rest, and control means mounting the leg-rest on the chair for movement from a retracted position beneath the seat to an extended leg-supporting position in response to movement of the body-supporting unit during the first motion phase to the intermediate tilted position, and

10 for further movement to a further extended leg-support ing position during the second motion phase.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,719,572 Goldberg Oct. 4, 1955 2,903,045 Viall Sept. 8, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 42,408 France Apr. 25, 1933 736,782 France Sept. 26, 1932 737,396 Great Britain Sept. 28, 1955 

